I first saw their predecessors in Europe many years ago. Those handheld credit card terminals that take your card at the table.
Now fairly ubiquitous, the most-advanced descendants of those primitive machines also serve as a terminal for the server to take your order.
And when it’s time to pay, the server hands you the device. The card is inserted and you are prompted with suggestions for tips.
And at that moment, the server turns or glances away uncomfortably.
It’s that “glance-away” that I find particularly interesting. What was a a nice human touch is transformed. No writing to jot down the tip (which you don’t have a moment to consider). And the server turns away awkwardly….before smiling and asking if you’d like a receipt.